Ambassadors sought to represent Polly Ann Trail

Trail Manager Pat Ball is looking for 20 to 30 volunteers who want to help promote and enhance the Polly Ann Trail experience. (click for larger version)

March 12, 2014 - Ambassadors are being sought to help represent, promote and enhance the Polly Ann Trail experience.

Trail Manager Patrick Ball is looking for 20 to 30 volunteers, age 18 and up, who use the trail at least twice a week, enjoy interacting with people and are willing to spread the word about its positive attributes, activities/events and surroundings.

"We'd love to have them whether they're walkers, bikers, runners, horseback people – we're looking for a mix," he said.

These trail ambassadors would make themselves available to users by answering questions, providing information and giving directions.

Ball said the ambassadors could guide users to restrooms, bicycle repair shops, parks and local places to dine. In essence, these volunteers would help put a friendly face on the trail and serve as walking, talking information kiosks.

The ambassadors would also serve as the "eyes and ears" of the trail providing multiple lines of communication between users and Ball.

The Polly Ann Trail is a 14.2-mile non-motorized recreation path that runs through Addison, Oxford and Orion townships along with the villages of Leonard and Oxford.

Ball made it clear the ambassadors are not meant to become a security force for the trail.

"I'm not looking for policemen," he said.

Ball got the idea to institute an ambassador program from the one utilized by the well-known Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails system in northern Michigan.

Local businesses interested in supporting the ambassador program are encouraged to contact the manager.

CJ Carnacchio is editor for The Oxford Leader. He lives in the Village of Oxford with his wife Connie and daughter Larissa. When he's not busy working on the newspaper, he enjoys cigars/pipes, Martinis/Scotch, hunting and fishing.